Police: Springfield man accused of possessing ghost gun arrested for third time

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) – A Springfield man is facing charges after allgedly possessing a large-capacity ghost gun and police note that it’s the suspect’s third arrest.

Springfield Police spokesperson Ryan Walsh said members of the department’s firearms investigation unit had been investigating 19-year-old Jahiem Sutherland of Springfield for illegal possession of a machine gun.

Detectives found Sutherland Wednesday in a car on the 700 block of State Street. The car then eventually stopped at a Worthington Street convenience store and Sutherland was detained by police.

Investigators reportedly seized a large-capacity ghost gun, which was loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition, from Sutherland and he was arrested. Walsh explained that the gun had “a sear selector or Glock switch that turns the firearm into a fully-automatic machine gun.”

Sutherland was arrested and charged with carrying a loaded firearm without a license (second offense), carrying a loaded large capacity firearm on a public way, possession of a loaded machine gun, convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and a a parole violation warrant.

Walsh explained that, at the time of his arrest, Sutherland was out on bail for an open illegal firearms case from August 2022 and was wearing a GPS bracelet as a condition of his release. In addition, he added that Sutherland has a previous illegal firearms conviction.

Springfield Police Superintendent Cheryl Clapprood said in a statement:

“I don’t know how many times it needs to be said, but GPS bracelets should not be given to nor are deterrents to individuals who have illegal firearms charges. The accessibility of Ghost Guns is problematic as we have seized more than 20 this year alone. We are also seeing more and more fully-automatic firearms this year which is attributed to illegal Glock switches attached to Ghost Guns. Suspects who are arrested with Ghost Guns and released simply go and buy or make another Ghost Gun, it is something judges should consider when they are setting bail amounts. I would like to thank Captain [Brian] Keenan and the Firearms Investigation Unit for their continued success in getting illegal guns off our streets and ultimately saving lives.”